Modulating the electrode pore structure using the magnetic field for reduced local-oxygen transport resistance in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell

• Published in: Chemical engineering journal (Lausanne, Switzerland : 1996) Switzerland : 1996), 2024-10, Vol.498, p.155378, Article 155378
• Main Authors: Lim, Jinhyuk, Lim, Seohee, Park, Sungjea, Yang, Kwonwoo, Park, Jiyoung, Kim, Myounghwan, Goo, Youngmo, Um, Sukkee, Shin, Dongyoon
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 3D reconstruction; Cathode pore structure; LB-DNS; Magnetic field; Mass transfer; PEMFC
• ISSN: 1385-8947
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2024.155378

•Modulate the pore orientation for the PEMFC electrode using the magnetic field.•Conduct the electrode pore microstructure analysis to demonstrate the pore’s orientation and its effects.•Perform electrochemical experiments on PEMFC to analyze the performance enhancement effects.•Reduce the local oxygen transfer resistance of the cathode and improve PEMFC performance. We utilize a magnetic field to align the pore structure of the PEMFC cathode catalyst layer in the direction of O2 infiltration. This alignment reduces the oxygen diffusion resistance within the catalyst layer, thereby augmenting the performance of the PEMFC. Membrane Electrode Assemblies (MEAs) with magnetically aligned cathodes demonstrate a 50% reduction in O2 transfer resistance compared to conventional MEAs, as verified through electrochemical experiments and it makes a performance enhancement in the I-V curve. Beyond electrochemical experimentation, electrode pore analysis utilizing 3D reconstruction and Lattice Boltzmann Direct Numerical simulation (LB-DNS) for internal flow field analysis within pores, reveals that alignment of the electrode structure in the through-plane direction enhanced pore continuity. This continuity and the resultant minimized proportion of dead pores are identified as the causative factors for the observed performance improvements.